Windlass



July 5, 1932. v w. R. WUEST 1,866,282

WINDLASS Filed Dec. 31, 1928 INVENTOR. WflL TEE E. wuzsz By K 9m ATTORNEY Patented July 5, 1932 warren 1TATES PATENT OFFICE WALTER It. W UEST, LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY 'WINIDLASS Application filed Ilecember 31. 1928. Serial No. 329,511.

My invention primarily relates to a windlass in combination with an adjustable stay or brace for doors, gates and like structures and has for its principal object a means to :21 provide a simple and inexpensive devlceto correct and prevent their sagging and to 1nsure their being squarely maintainedso as to swing freely when opening or closing and consists of certain improvements in construction which will be fully disclosed in the following specification and claims.

In the following drawing which forms part of this specification:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the screen door showing my invention applied.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional View of the windlass.

Fig. 3 is a detail of the ratchet structure and more particularly the ratchet teeth and pawl.

Fig. 4 is a detail of a section of the drum, auxiliary reel flange and frame.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the Windlass.

Fig. 6' is the anchor.

Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view of a slightly modified structure.

In the drawing and designating characters thereon, 1 indicates a door to which is secured the Windlass as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, se-

cured by means of screw 6; also the wire or other flexible member 4: extending from the windlass to the eye 2a of anchor 2 which is secured to the door by screw 3, which passes through opening 27) of the anchor.

Frame 5 of the windlass is constructed of flexible material such as spring steel and is fashioned with an open opening 5E to receive screw 6, round openings 5f, 5/ to receive the drum 9 which, with drum heads 9h and 11, constitute the reel, these drum heads being disposed on the outside of the frame.

Head 11 is preferably riveted to drum 9 as shown at 9r. is also fashioned with a pawl or detent 50 so located as to register with a series of annually disposed ratchet teeth 7 0, 7 0 of reel head 11 upon rotation. The pawl will also register with the notches 7 6 formed by having been cut and bent to form these ratchet teeth from 5. Opening 561 provides a guide for the wire 4. Reinforcing grooves 51", 5,1 are pressed into the body of 5 to stiffen the spring action;

Drum head 11 is formed with arms 7'-7 and lips 7a, 7a to provide finger'levers fo'r turning the reel which, in'its rotation, will wind 'up wire 4 threaded through eye 8a of auxiliary reel drum head 8 which is fabric-ated with a square hole sufficiently large to 211-- low it to be slidably keyed to'the square portion 98 formed on drum 9. Drumhead 8 is loosely located on drum 9 and held adj acent the frame 5 by reason of overlapping lugs 5a. As winding begins in the direction shown by arrow in Fig. 3, pawl which is rigid is forced away and out of engagement with notch 7c in flange 11. This is made'possible by reason of the flexibility of frame 5. The winding is progressed until the desired tension is produced on wire 4.

Attention is directed to thefact that frame 5 is constructed as a spring member and a pronounced spring action takes place between its contact with reel head 9h on around to the ratchet and pawl members which produces a most positive, gentle, enduring, inexpensive and incidental spring action with a consequent enduring ratchet for the ratchet and pawl device. It should be remembered that head 11 is riveted to the drum and that auxiliary' head 8 is slidably mounted on the square portion.

As this windlass has other applications than to doors and gates, I have shown in Fig. 7 a modified form, using the identical principle employed heretofore, wherein only two drum heads 12h and 11 are used to form the drum and the simple box-like frame 10. In this frame structure, 10a, 105, are guide openings to admit the flexible winding members which thread through openings 12a, 12b in drum 12. 101", 101" indicates the reinforcement means for frame 10. Its structure affects twice the take up ability as shown in the former structure, as two flexible members are employed in place of one.

A feature of my device as applied to-doors resides in the fact that'the' Windlass, wire and anchor are all attached by two-"simple aneher- I age devices, such as screws or nails, and that the reel will self align itself in response to ten- 5 of said shaft being squared to loosely resion as it is applied to the wire and anchor in the process of performing the work for which it is intended. Also to the fact thatthe winding drum is disposed within the outer surfaces of the door.

Many variations and proportions will suggest themselves to one familiar with the use to which my invention may be applied, therefore, I do not wish to be limited other than by the appended claims.

What I claim is 1 1. In a Windlass constructed with a U fiat spring frame, the outer faces of each arm being embraced by heads rigidly attached to a reel shaft extending through bear ings in each arm of the frame, said frame being further provided with a pawl to engage annular notches formed in one of the embracing heads, which is further equipped with extensions to form a lever.

-2. In a Windlass constructed with a U flat spring frame, the outer faces of each arm being embraced by heads rigidly attached to a real shaft extending through bearings in each arm of the frame, said frame being further provided with a pawl to engage annular notches formed in one of the embracing heads which upon rotation will cause the frame to yield.

3. In a Windlass constructed with a U formed spring frame, the outer faces of each arm being embraced by heads rigidly attached to a reel shaft extending through bearings in each arm of said frame, one end ceive an auxiliary reel head flange through a central opening in same, said flange being disposed within said frame which is pro= vided with engaging lugs to limit the axial 7 travel of said flange, said frame being further provided with a pawl to engage annular notches formed in one of the embracing heads, which is further equipped with an extension to form an operating lever.

4. In a Windlass constructed with a U spring frame, the outer faces of each arm being embraced by heads rigidly attached to a reel shaft extending through bearings in each arm of said frame, one end of said shaft being squared to loosely receive a reel head flange through a central opening in same, said flange being equipped with an eye and disposed within said frame which is provided with engaging lugs to limit the axial travel of said flange, said frame being further provided with a pawl to engage annular notches formed in one of the embracing heads.

5. In a Windlass constructed with a U springframe carrying a reel shaft extending through hearings in each arm of said frame, said reel shaft being equipped with three reel heads, two being exteriorly disposed and one interiorly disposed of said frame.

6.;In a Windlass constructed wit-h a U spring frame carrying a reel shaft extending through bearings in each arm of said frame, said reel shaft being equipped with three reel heads, two being exteriorly disposed and one interiorly disposed of said frame, one of said heads being provided with an extension to form an operating lever.

7. In a Windlass constructed with a U spring frame carrying a reel shaft extending through bearings in each arm of said frame, said reel shaft being equipped with three reel heads, two being exteriorly disposed and one interiorly disposed of said frame and slidably mounted on said shaft, one of said heads being provided with an extension to form an operating lever.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WALTER R. WUEST. 

